Refrigerating unit



y 6, 1931. c. D. CONDON REFRIGERATING UNIT Filed July 2. 1928 5 mm 9 m m wm .V 2 I w &

Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OARR D. CONDON, OF DES MOIN'ES, IOWA BEFRIGERATING UNIT Application filed July 2, 1928. Serial No. 289,850.

The object of this invention is to provide .an improved portable refrigerating unit for use in refrigerators, ice boxes, refrigerating show cases and the like.

6 A further object of the invention is to pro-- vide improved means for maintaining conof maintaining low temperatures in ordinary refrigerators or refrigerating show cases at a Very low expense." v

With these and other objects in view my invention consists'in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

4 Figure 1 is a perspective view-showing one of my improved refrigerating units in the ice chamber of a household refrigerator.

, Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe refrigerating unit.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the unit on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. I I

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and showing particularly, the means for forming ice cubes.

The refrigerating unit formed in accordance with my invention comprises a doublewalled container preferably of cylindrical form. I

I have employed the numeral to designate the outer wall and the numeral 11 to designate the inner wall which are so arranged and. connected as to form a jacket 9 space 12 between them. The jacket space 12 is entirely closed except for a filling opening 13 which is closable by means 'of a screw plug 14.

The jacket space 12 is adapted to be filled with a heat absorbing liquid or refrigerating fluid such as calcium chloride solution, the solution preferably being between seventy and one hundred degrees.

The major portion of the double-walled container constitutes an ice compartment 15,

which is open at its top and closable by a lid 16 provided with a handle 17. The lid 16 is formed with a peripheral flange 18, which fits snugly within themouth of the chamber 15. The chamber is adapted to be filled periodically with a mixture of cracked ice and salt or sodium chloride, which is designated by the numeral 19.

- The refrigerating unit is filled or charged as previously set forth and is placed in the ice chamber such as 20 of a'refrigerator or the like 21. x i

For convenience in handling it, the refrigerating unit is provided with handles 22 on its side walls.

The lid 16 of the container is formed with a plurality of openings 23 preferably arranged in an annular row. A valve plate 2-1 is mounted on'the lower side of the lid 16 and is pivoted thereto by a centrally arranged rivet 25. g

The valve plate 24 also is formed with an annular row of openings 26 which are adapted to register at times with the openings 23 of the lid.

The damper plate 24 is provided with an operating knob 27 which extends through an arcuate slot 28 in the lid. By moving the knob 27 in the slot 28 the valve plate 24 may be adjusted to cause the openings 26 to register in whole or in partwith the openings 23 or to be positioned so that they are entirely out of registry so that all the openings in the lid are effectively closed.

I have found that by the use of this improved refrigerating unit, charged as previously set forth, I am able to maintain'constant and relatively low temperatures in an ordinary ice box or refrigerating show case and that I am enabled to do this with the use of axrelatively small amount of ice, namely about one-fifth of the quantity that is usually employed in anice box or show case of a given capacity.

The freezing solution, such as calcium chloride, acts to absorb the heat from the surof the refrigerating unit, as is evident from a heavy'accumulation of frost which is visible thereon after the device has been in use for a short time.

By adjusting the valve plate 24 so that the openings 23 of the lid are opened to greater or less extent, I am able to secure even lower temperatures by permitting a circulation of air within the compartment 15 and over the ice and salt mixture therein.

This arrangement of course, causes a fastermelting of the ice in the chamber 15, so that cured inthe same refrigerating devices with the use ofice in large chunks, as ordinarily employed. Experiment has also demonstrated that the temperatures produced by means of this refrigerating unit are kept more constantly at a lowervpoint and are also more efi'ective on account of the atmosphere being dry.

I have also provided means for producing ice cubes through the use of my refrigerating unit and for this purpose, the lower part of the double-walled unit-is-formed with a recess 29, which is open'at its bottom and at one side or'en'd. Within the recess 29 a drawer or 'the like 30 may be removabl mounted, which drawer is provided witi partitions 31 to produce relatively small compartments which are filled with water.

When the refrigerating unit is in opera- 7 tion and the drawer 30 is mounted within the i recess 29, ice cubes are'produced which are useful for household purposes such as for cooling drinking water or which mayalso be In this connection, I might state that for ice boxes or show cases of large capacity, two or more of the refrigerating units may be employed, For instance, in a show case, one of the units may be placed near each end of the show case. n

I believe that calcium chloride is the best substance to use for the freezing solution, but it is possible that other substances may be employed with some good results, such for instance as a solution of sodium chloride.

It will be noted that this refrigerating unit is entirely self-contained and is not dependent for its successful operation upon connections with other extraneous devices or sources of supply by means of pipes or the like. In other words, the unit is capable of being readil moved from place to place without distur ing its operative condition and it may be placed in any desired location in a refrigerator or show case without the necessity for providing a special location for it.

I claim as my invention:

1. A refrigerating unit comprising a double-walled container, whereby a jacket space is provided substantially surroundin an inner compartment, a filling opening or said for tightly closing the interior com artment, which compartment is capable of eing entirely closed to atmospheric air, the jacket space containing a freezing solution and the interior compartment containin a mixture of cracked ice and salt, said unlt being entirely self-contained so that it is capable of jacket space, means for tightly. closin said filling opening and the jacket space, an a lid being transported from place to place'and of being readily removed and replaced relative to a refrigerator.

2. A portable, self-contained refrigerating unit comprising a double-walled container, whereby a jacket space'is provided substantially surrounding an inner compartment, a filling opening for said jacket space, means for tightly closing said filling opening, and a I lid for tightly closing the interior compartment, the jacket space containing a solution of calcium chloride and the interior compartmtlent containing a mixture of cracked ice and sa t.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 26, 1928.

\ CARR D. CONDON.

metal or aluminum and is relatively inexpen- It is also economical in operation and is effective in a considerable saving of the amount of ice required for a given icebox or refrigerating show case.- 

